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Chapter 3: A little Brighter

I blinked rapidly trying to adjust my eyes to the brightness of the room. As my eyes started to focus I recognized where I was. A hospital room. Just great. Meaning if I was in the hospital my "guardians" as they are known, knew about my little mishap. A woman wearing a white coat and scribbling on a clip board entered the room. Her name pin said 'Dr. Strife.'

Great I get a trip to the hospital and another Strife to deal with. Nice. She was a very beautiful woman with sleek black hair, that was tied back in a bun with stray curls framing her face. Square frame glasses rested on the bridge of her nose, as she peered down on the clipboard.

I watched her as she crossed the room to wash her hands in the sink. Her strides were even and gracefully, like a runway model. After drying her hands she slipped on a pair of gloves and turned to me.

"Oh you're awake! That frantic red haired girl will be relieved." She said in a velvet voice.

I just nodded my throat was dry and itchy and I didn't feel like talking anyway.

"OK let's get down to business then." she said picking up her clipboard. "Namine Snow. Female. Sixteen years old. Five feet six inches. Your have a pretty long medical history."

I listened to her as she read my bio. I was trying desperately to remember what the crap I'm doing in the yesterday's events started to return and a wave a nausea swam over me. I closed my eyes to let it pass.

"Miraculously you have minor injuries thanks to all your padding." She said, scrutinizing me with her expression.

I remembered what I wore to school today. Three pairs of pants: underpants, over-pants and jeans. Several shirts and a my big hoody. All thick. I guess without knowing it my un-girly ways saved me. Who knew?

She took off her glasses, looked at me and sighed. "With your disease it's very dangerous to get into fights like this"

"..."

She sighed again.

"Your leg has been bandaged up to stop the bleeding and we have to keep you under monitor for a few days, but you should be back to school on Monday. Please be careful " She finished seriously.

"Oh joy." my voice indeed hoarse.

When she left the room, I just sat there collecting and sorting my thoughts. My eyes began to wonder around the room. There were some flowers most likely from Kairi and Olette. After making mental notes about the room I let out a bored sigh. That's the one thing I hate about hospitals. So. Freaking. BORING.

Nothing to do but stare at walls. It's like a mental institute only no cool jackets that strap in the back. I looked down in my covers. Just perfect, a hospital gown. I looked around the room for something decent to wear. Nothing.

I let another sigh. I listened to the noises of nurses pushing carts and doctors conversing for a while before tuning it all out. I stared blankly out the window. The sky was blue and the sun was out. Even heaven is enjoying my suffering. Heh, bad joke. A knock on the door snapped me back to the present.

Kairi and Olette came in with bags, flowers and sweets. They were chatting animatedly with each other, until they saw me.

"Whoa, talk about train wreck." Olette said feigning humor.

Kairi's face was hysterical, but I couldn't make myself laugh. Her eyes were bulging, her jaw dropped and the color drained from her face. Did I look that bad? As if hearing my thoughts she shook her head as if trying to shake the image and came to my side. I adjusted the bed so I was sitting upright.

"Namine. Good lord what did he do to you?"Kairi asked.

I grinned. "Nothing at all. You'll be happy to know he didn't lay a finger on me."

Kairi faced went from sullen to confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I was completely unprepared to face the entire student body well armed with weapons of mass destruction." I replied with my trademark sarcasm.

"Wow that was genius." Olette commented.

"Oh shut up Olette. Our friend nearly got beaten to death and all you can say of her attacker is 'He's a genius'. That's sympathy for you." Kairi said.

"What? All I'm saying is that's some crafty stuff. I mean he knows if he gets into a fight there will be repercussions but if he gets someone else to fight for him-

"More like a whole army." I interjected.

"Exactly. Then he can't be touched because no one will squeal on him. It's fool-proof." Olette finished.

"Well he's still a jerk."

"No doubt about that."

"The important thing is that it's over and everything can go back to normal." I said. "What did you bring for me?"

That worked well. They both started chattering away about my presents .Kairi spent the morning making me all different kinds of sweets and pastries. Olette made me some bath healing remedies that should help with soreness and bruising. They also got me some hospital clothes, knowing I wasn't a fan of the open back gown variety.

With some help I was able to slip into some sweat pants and a big t-shirt. Much better. I scarfed down Kairi sweets which made her happy and started talking about the different ingredients she used. They were good, but I was mostly starved. Olette got into one of her political scandal rants and had me and Kairi gasping for breath in between our laughter. Kairi put my wild hair into a tame ponytail and they left.

I watched the sunset as my nurse changed my IV bag. I noticed that neither one of my guardians came to visit me. Not that surprising, though my aunt would throw a fit to know I was in the hospital. I can't really blame them though. The three witches probably kept quiet and avoided calls from the hospital.

I closed my eyes and tried to beckon sleep, but a banged open door stopped me. In the door way was my frantic aunt behind her a red faced husband.

"Namine! What in the world happened to you?" Yumi asked with worry in her voice.

"I fell." I lied.

Why should I lie? I should rat out all those people and get them expelled. Yeah right that will just make everything worse I'm no snitch and beside even if I did tell they would all deny it. What's the point?

"You fell? Namine where could you have fallen that made you look so beaten up?" she pressed.

"Down a couple of flights of stairs." I said nonchalantly.

She seemed to have calm down and took a seat on the chair next to my bed. Uncle Kaito face went back to his original color after he caught his breath and he too came to stand next to my bed.

"You should be more careful." he said.

"Yeah." was all I could think to say.

"Be serious Namine. You need to be more careful. We can't have you in the hospital and missing school. We've put up with your attitude and ways for a while now. Isn't time you sop this nonsense and act normally?"

I didn't answer him. He knew what I would say because this how the arguments start and right now I just didn't have the energy. My aunt pulled her husband's arm to stop him from continuing. He sighed, knowing it was pointless.

"Something will be done." he finished before leaving the room. Not to quietly I might add.

I let out a sigh and folded my arms tightly over my chest. My uncle never seizes to aggravate me. My aunt rested a hand on my forearm and rubbed her thumb over my skin in sympathy.

"He's such a..." I couldn't find that right word so I dropped it.

She sighed either in agreement or frustration. "Namine he just doesn't know what to do with you. No one does. You don't listen to the teachers. Your failing everything. You don't have a constructive outlet and you're always by yourself. We want you to be happy."

"I am happy."

"You think you're happy." she corrected.

"I AM happy"

"Namine you need to live the life of a normal teenage girl. I'm not asking you to change who you are. But would it really be all that bad if you wore a uniform and studied a little. Or joined a sport? There are so many things you could do. What about art classes and art club? You love to draw and you're really talented."

"..."

"Think about your mom and dad. Would they want you to be this way?"

She stood and kissed my forehead and left the room. Yes it would be that bad. Though I couldn't really see how. Mom. She loved to dress up and do girly things with me. I always said I didn't want to be girly because it was stupid and useless and that deep down that maybe I wasn't a girl. The truth is that it's painful.

I brought my knees under my chin. It's painful to know that you can't go shopping with your mom. You can't by a real short skirt and wear and have her tell you it's to short. I'll never have that so what's the point. Acting like a girl isn't going to bring my mom back. So who cares?

Monday morning I was pacing my room. Back and forth. Back and forth. Ugh. My aunt laid a freshly pressed uniform on my bed. The black tie, pleated skirt and blazer. The black socks and button down shirt.

I was already dressed for school in my usual baggy, black clothing. I stuffed my i-pod in my pocket and dismissed the idea of ever wearing that outfit. I pulled my hood over my head and took my escape route to school.

School was uneventful. I was avoided and everything seemed to be back to normal until lunch period. I was walking to my usual place by myself, sipping my water. When I reached the sakura tree I looked around me and when I didn't see anyone I pulled my hood off and sighed swiping my blonde hair to one shoulder. Sitting down on the ground I closed my eyes.

"Whoa. So it WAS you Namine "

My eyes snapped open. I pulled my hood back on and looked around me. No one. "What the.." Confused I stood up, and looked up. Up in the tree was Sora. I glared at him. "You have no right to call me by my name,traitor" I said harshly. He jumped down and stared at me. "What do you want Hikari?"

Sora started fiddling nervously. " I wanted to apologize to you" "About?"

"About yesterday.."

I narrowed my eyes.

" Then apologize already!" He flinched and mumbled a pathetic apology. I walked to him and punched him right to the gut. He fell down coughing and gasping for air. Kneeling down I whispered to his ear "Apology NOT accepted, bastard"

I stood up and walked away.

A little bit short and grammar is bad as always but I hope you enjoyed..the next one will be longer :D